Small households looking to reduce leftovers
If you mainly eat bread with chocolate sprinkles at the weekend, you can compare a half loaf and a smaller pack of topping with the amounts you actually use. You can freeze any leftover bread.
Who is this choice relevant to?
Breakfast lovers looking for a wholemeal base
You want to keep eating chocolate sprinkles, but make a conscious choice between wholemeal bread and wholemeal rusks as your base. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, wholegrain products contain more fibre than white grain products; this doesn’t change the composition of the sprinkles.
Breakfast lovers who want something crunchy in the cupboard
You prefer rusks to soft slices of bread and want to be able to store an opened pack. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre advises storing rusks in a cool, dry, dark place in a tightly sealed container.
What should you consider when choosing?
First decide whether you want soft slices of bread, crunchy rusks or a ready-made product. Then compare the amounts of bread and topping that suit your weekend breakfasts.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer leftovers | Compare the weight of a half loaf with how much you eat at the weekend, and check how much chocolate sprinkles the pack contains. Freeze any bread you won’t eat in time. | If I only eat bread on a few days, I don’t want to be left with a large loaf and a large pack of topping. Around 36% of consumers prioritise reducing leftovers. |
| Wholemeal base | Look specifically for ‘wholemeal’ in the product information; don’t judge by the colour of the bread alone. | I want to choose how much sweet topping I use, but I mainly look for a wholemeal base. For around 29% of consumers, this is their first priority. |
| Flavour and type of topping | Compare chocolate sprinkle varieties by ingredients, allergens and pack weight. Check that an alternative really is chocolate sprinkles and not flakes. | If we’re serving several flavours, I want to choose a topping that goes well with them without opening more than we’ll use. Flavour and variety come first for around 21% of consumers. |
| Crunchiness and storage | Choose between rusks and soft bread. If you’re considering a ready-made product, check its current availability. | I want to be able to grab something crunchy quickly at the weekend and store the rest in a tightly sealed container. For around 14% of consumers, convenience matters most. |
Common mistakes
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Treating rusks and half a loaf as the same breakfast
Rusks are crunchy, while a half loaf gives you soft slices of bread. A ready-made combination product is different again. Jumbo says its Beschuit met Hagelslag Melk is no longer part of its online range.
Decide on the base you want first. If you want a ready-made product, check that the specific product is available before buying.
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Choosing a large pack of chocolate sprinkles without considering how much you use
Jumbo lists packs including 140 g, 200 g and 600 g. The largest pack won’t necessarily suit a breakfast you only have at the weekend.
Compare the pack weight with the number of breakfast portions you expect to use the sprinkles for.
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Assuming brown bread is wholemeal
The colour of the bread alone doesn’t tell you whether it’s wholemeal.
Look for the word ‘wholemeal’ and read the product description or ingredients list if the type of bread matters to your choice.
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Assuming every loaf contains iodised salt
According to the Dutch covenant publication, the use of iodised baker’s salt is encouraged. brood.net says that its use isn’t a legal requirement for every type of bread.
If you want to know which salt a particular loaf contains, check the ingredients list for terms such as ‘iodised salt’ or ‘baker’s salt’.
Brands to compare
De Ruijter
Worth considering if you’d like to compare a dark chocolate variety in a smaller pack alongside regular chocolate sprinkles.
- Albert Heijn lists De Ruijter Specials Intens Puur in a 200 g pack, with at least 52% cocoa solids.
- The product information for this variety lists milk and soya as allergens; if you have allergies, check the current label.
Venz
A brand to look at if your choice depends on the variety of chocolate sprinkles you want.
- Jumbo lists 400 g packs of Venz milk chocolate sprinkles alongside smaller varieties in its chocolate sprinkles selection.
- An Albert Heijn listing marks Venz Mini’s 170 g as discontinued; check availability for each variety.
Albert Heijn
Worth considering if you want to compare a specific half wholemeal loaf as a base for separate chocolate sprinkles.
- Albert Heijn lists its Onze trots Vloerbrood volkoren half at 400 g, with 8 g of fibre per 100 g and iodised salt in the ingredients list.
- Check the current packaging for ingredients, nutritional information and allergens.
Jumbo
A retailer to check if you want to compare chocolate sprinkles in a range of pack sizes.
- Jumbo’s chocolate sprinkles selection includes packs of 140 g, 200 g and 600 g, among others.
- Jumbo says its Beschuit met Hagelslag Melk is no longer part of its online range; an old product listing doesn’t confirm current availability.
ALDI
Worth considering if you want to look at half wholemeal loaves, wholemeal rusks and separate chocolate sprinkles as individual products.
- ALDI’s product listings include half wholemeal loaves, GOUD GEBAKKEN wholemeal rusks and 300 g packs of Sprinkles chocolate sprinkles.
- Check the range at the shop where you do your shopping.
Lidl
A retailer to check if you’re looking for a particular variety of chocolate sprinkles at a local branch.
- Lidl lists De Ruijter Hagelslag Melk as a product.
- Check the current information for your local branch before counting on this variety being available.
Products for a breakfast you can put together yourself
These products let you put together your own breakfast: rusks or another crunchy base, with chocolate sprinkles or flakes as a separate topping. The crunchy bases shown aren’t half loaves, and flakes aren’t the same as chocolate sprinkles.
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Bolletje Wholegrain Rusk, 13 pieces
A rusk base for anyone who wants crunchy breakfast portions and prefers to choose their chocolate sprinkles separately. The pack contains 13 pieces; decide whether that’s right for how much you eat at the weekend.
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g'woon Wholegrain Crispbreads, 125 g
Another crunchy base to top yourself, but not rusks or half a loaf. Compare the 125 g pack with how much you expect to use.
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De Ruijter Intense Pure Chocolate Sprinkles, 200 g
Dark chocolate sprinkles for whichever bread or rusk base you choose. Compare the 200 g pack with how much you use; buy the bread or rusks separately. If you have allergies, check the current label.
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De Ruijter Flake Feast, 200 g
A 200 g pack of flakes for anyone who wants to try a different kind of topping. These are flakes, not chocolate sprinkles; choose your bread or rusk base separately.
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g'woon Pure Chocolate Sprinkles, 400 g
Dark chocolate sprinkles for a bread or rusk base of your choice. The pack contains 400 g; consider whether you’ll use that much if you only eat chocolate sprinkles at the weekend.
Frequently asked questions
Will a half loaf automatically stop me wasting bread?
No. You buy less bread at a time, but you still need to make sure you can use what’s left. According to the Netherlands Nutrition Centre, opened wholemeal bread can be kept for 2–4 days in a kitchen cupboard or 1–3 months in the freezer; freeze any slices you want to eat later in good time.
Can I use rusks instead of half a loaf?
Yes, if you want a crunchy base instead of soft slices of bread. Rusks are a different type of product, so don’t just compare the pack sizes: first decide which texture you’d like at breakfast.
How should I store rusks after opening?
Store opened rusks in a cool, dry, dark place in a tightly sealed container, as advised by the Netherlands Nutrition Centre. Also follow the storage and best-before information on the pack.
Does Dutch bread always contain iodised baker’s salt?
No, don’t assume that every loaf does. The Dutch government encourages its use through a covenant, and brood.net says iodised baker’s salt isn’t a legal requirement for every product. Check the ingredients list on the bread you buy.
What should I check if allergens are a concern?
Read the current label for both the base and the topping, checking them as separate products. Albert Heijn lists milk and soya as allergens for De Ruijter Specials Intens Puur. Don’t assume another variety has the same ingredients.